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Wessex Archaeology

Swanworth Quarry, Purbeck, Dorset


Archaeological Watching Brief Report

Ref: 70280.02

SWANWORTH QUARRY
PURBECK, DORSET
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF REPORT

Prepared on behalf of:


Tarmac Ltd
Millfields Road
Ettingshall
Wolverhampton
West Midlands
WV4 6JP

By
Wessex Archaeology
Portway House
Old Sarum Park
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP4 6EB
November 2008
Reference 70280.02

Wessex Archaeology Limited 2008 all rights reserved


Wessex Archaeology Limited is a Registered Charity No. 287786

SWANWORTH QUARRY
PURBECK, DORSET
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF REPORT

Contents
Summary ..........................................................................................................ii
Acknowledgements.......................................................................................... iii
1

INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................... 1
1.1
1.2

ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND .................................................................................... 2


2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5

PROJECT BACKGROUND .............................................................................................. 1


SITE LOCATION, TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY............................................................... 1

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 2
FEATURES RECORDED WITHIN THE SITE ....................................................................... 2
FEATURES RECORDED WITHIN SWANWORTH QUARRY .................................................. 2
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES IN THE LOCAL AREA ............................................................... 3
PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS ......................................................................................... 3

AIMS .............................................................................................................................................. 4
3.1

WATCHING BRIEF ....................................................................................................... 4

METHODOLOGY......................................................................................................................... 4

RESULTS...................................................................................................................................... 4
5.1
5.2
5.3

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 4
STRATIGRAPHIC SEQUENCE ........................................................................................ 5
ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURES ...................................................................................... 5

FINDS ............................................................................................................................................ 5

ENVIRONMENTAL...................................................................................................................... 5

CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................. 5

ARCHIVE ...................................................................................................................................... 6

10

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 6

FIGURES
Figure 1:

Site Location Showing Extent of 2008 Watching Brief

SWANWORTH QUARRY
PURBECK, DORSET
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF REPORT

Summary
Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Tarmac Ltd to conduct an
archaeological watching brief at Swanworth Quarry during the initial stripping
of a c.2 ha area to the north east of the current works. The Site lies
approximately 1km north of Worth Matravers in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset
and is centred on NGR 497220 078470.
Previous investigations at the Site included a 1.5% evaluation of 32 trenches
carried out in 1995 which uncovered no archaeological features within the
northern parcel of land under consideration in this report. Findspots of
artefacts and features made within the quarry boundaries over the past 70
years, however, maintained a significant archaeological potential which this
fieldwork was designed to monitor.
The c.2 ha site was stripped of topsoil and then subsoil, to the top of the
natural overburden, allowing for archaeological monitoring of each interface.
No archaeological features, deposits or artefacts were revealed.
The fieldwork was carried out between the 22nd of September and the 2nd of
October 2008.

ii

SWANWORTH QUARRY
PURBECK, DORSET
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF REPORT

Acknowledgements

Wessex Archaeology would like to thank of Tarmac Ltd for commissioning the
watching brief. Wessex Archaeology would also like to acknowledge the
assistance of Derek Haden, Manager of Swanworth Quarry, and advice of
Steve Wallis, Dorset County Archaeologist.
The project was managed on behalf of Wessex Archaeology by Paul
McCulloch. The fieldwork was undertaken by Sian Reynolds who also
compiled this report with illustrations prepared by S E James.

iii

SWANWORTH QUARRY
PURBECK, DORSET
ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF REPORT

INTRODUCTION

1.1

Project background

1.1.1

Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Tarmac Ltd to conduct an


archaeological watching brief at Swanworth Quarry during the initial
machine strip of a c.2 ha area to the north east of the current works,
prior to mineral extraction. The Site lies approximately 1km north of
Worth Matravers in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset and is centred on NGR
497220 078470 (Figure 1) hereafter referred to as the Site.

1.1.2

Conditional planning permission for extraction was granted by the


Mineral Planning Authority Dorset County Council in 1994 with the
following condition relating to archaeology:
No development shall take place in that part of the site lying to the
east of the eastern quarry face until such time as the applicant has
first secured implementation of a program of archaeological work in
accordance with a written scheme of investigation which has been
submitted by the applicant and approved by the Mineral Planning
Authority and, subsequently, agreed a scheme for the preservation or
recording of such remains as may be deemed appropriate by the
Authority.

1.2

Site location, topography and geology

1.2.1

The Site comprised a roughly square area of c.2 ha in extent located


adjacent to the north eastern extent of the active quarry works, close to
the access route leading from the Kingston Worth Matravers road.
The area is the last to be quarried before Tarmac Ltd initiates an
extensive restoration scheme.

1.2.2

The Site has a significant slope running from 120m above Ordnance
Datum (aOD) in the south-east to 112m aOD in the north-west with a
shallow coombe running north-south from the northern boundary.

1.2.3

The underlying solid geology of the area is Purbeck limestone, a light


brown, thinly laminated sandy limestone with abundant chert nodules.
The limestone is approximately 35m deep within the quarry, and
overlies sandstone which in turn rests on Kimmeridge clay. Within the
Site the limestone is topped by overburden up to 15m deep consisting
of bands of clay, mudstone and limestone.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

2.1

Introduction

2.1.1

The archaeological background of the Site was fully described


in the report of the 1995 evaluation (Wessex Archaeology 1995) and will
be summarised below.

2.1.2

The limestone uplands of Purbeck have produced evidence of human


activity and settlement from the early prehistoric period onwards.
Observations and finds from Swanworth Quarry itself over the last
seventy years point towards the presence of a Late Bronze Age/Early
Iron Age (c.1000-500 BC) settlement.

2.2

Features recorded within the Site

2.2.1

Dorset County Councils Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) records


one feature of possible archaeological interest within the Site. The
remains of a lynchet are recorded as surviving very little in a site visit
record of 1985, and was completely ploughed out by the time of the
1995 evaluation.

2.3

Features recorded within Swanworth Quarry

2.3.1

The quarry itself (formerly known as Sheepsleights Quarry) has been a


source of important archaeological discoveries in the past. The
principal discoveries relate to evidence for late prehistoric occupation
remains, the NMR entry relating to them reproduced below:
x

SY 968783: Examination of the Sheepsleights or Swanworth


Quarry since 1941 has revealed evidence of a Late Bronze Age
settlement and Early Iron Age shale industrial site. About six
saucer shaped hollows or pits and one deeper pit were discovered
between 1941-9 (Calkin 1949), some containing Late Bronze Age
bucket shaped vessels probably for storing grain. An occupation
floor close to the pits contained fragments of Late Bronze Age
pottery, animal bones, limpet shells, a scraper, rough flakes and a
hammerstone.

A Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age stone lined grain storage pit
containing carbonised spelt was found on the site in 1964 (Calkin
1967) and the remains of a similar pit were seen previously in
1952 (Calkin 1953); the latter containing a Late Bronze Age
bronze razor. A small rectangular stone cist was recorded c.3m to
the west of the 1964 grain pit and to the south east were three
areas of dark earth, one area containing a few bone fragments and
a saddle quern. A Late Bronze Age beaker found in 1958 (Calkin
1968) and a bronze armlet in 1968 (Farrar 1970) were also
recorded from the quarry. Evidence of an Early Iron Age shale
industry manufacturing armlets was recorded on the Late Bronze

Age occupation floor (see above) although not in pits. Early Iron
Age sherds, including fine black ware were also seen
2.3.2

Further evidence for the extent of the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age
occupation on the site of the quarry was discovered in 1983.
Archaeological observation during topsoil stripping at the southern end
of the quarry reported the base of a stone lined cist or pit, the vestiges
of a shallow pit, and a linear feature. These features were filled and
associated with occupation remains including a collection of over one
hundred sherds of Late Bronze Age pottery (Cox 1987).

2.4

Archaeological Sites in the local area

2.4.1

The area around Swanworth Quarry has provided a wide range of


archaeological evidence from most periods, earlier prehistoric to
medieval. Three confirmed and one possible Bronze Age barrows exist
within 500m of the Site, that at Afflington containing a primary cremation
and secondary inhumation burials. Iron Age/Roman occupation is
found at both Kingston Barn (750m to the north) and Compact Farm
(700m to the south east), the latter probably associated with a number
of Roman cist burials (850m to the south east). The medieval period is
represented by areas of lynchets (400m and 1km to the south west) and
the deserted medieval village of Weston (800m to the south).

2.5

Previous Investigations

2.5.1

Following an application for the current planning permission for the


extension to Swanworth Quarry two phases of archaeological
investigation were carried out.

2.5.2

Between the 3rd and 7th of April 1995 an evaluation of the application
area was carried out. Of the 32 trenches only four contained
archaeological features, all concentrated in the southern portion of the
application area. These features took the form of narrow, shallow
ditches or gullies and were assigned a tentative later prehistoric or
Romano-British date by the excavators (Wessex Archaeology 1995).

2.5.3

Between the 22nd and 31st of May 1996 a watching brief was carried out
during topsoil stripping of part of the southern portion of the Site. Two
sub-circular features and a 16m ditch or gully were observed cutting into
the natural clay, but excavation cast doubts as to their anthropogenic
origin.

2.5.4

Further monitoring of stripping of the central portion of the permitted


area was carried out in August 2002. No archaeological features or
deposits were observed.

AIMS

3.1

Watching Brief

3.1.1

The aims of the watching brief were to:


x

Contribute to heritage knowledge of the area through the


recording of any archaeological remains exposed as a result of
excavations in connection with the groundworks.

Place any remains within their chronological and regional


context as well as to the local landscape.

Recover any artefacts and collect Palaeo-environmental


samples that would assist in the interpretation of the site.

3.1.2

The aim of this report is to provide evidence of the results of the


watching brief in order to satisfy the Dorset County Archaeologist and
the Mineral Planning Authority that the requirements of the relevant
archaeological planning condition have been met.

METHODOLOGY

4.1.1

The initial groundworks, namely the stripping of the top- and sub-soils
were carried out under constant archaeological supervision by a suitably
qualified member of Wessex Archaeology staff. Spoil generated by the
works was scanned for artefacts.

4.1.2

The top- and sub-soils were removed separately using a 10 tonne bull
dozer with a 2.5m toothed bucket and stored in a 4m high bund along
the eastern edge of site. The travel of the bull dozer and assisting
dumper truck over the stripped surface largely obscured any in situ
archaeological features, but for a short period of time immediately
following stripping it was possible to confirm the presence or absence of
archaeological features or artefacts and to halt work if necessary.

4.1.3

A digital photographic record of the Site was made charting all aspects
covered by this watching brief.

RESULTS

5.1

Introduction

5.1.1

A summary table of the Site (recorded as Trench 1) giving brief soil


descriptions and dimensions can be found in Appendix 1. Site location
is illustrated on Figure 1.

5.2

Stratigraphic sequence

5.2.1

Owing to the natural slope of the Site the deposit stratigraphy and
subsequently the stripped level varied with a differing thickness of
topsoil and colluvial sub-soils above the natural overburden.

5.2.2

The dark grey brown silty clay loam topsoil was consistent in character
across the Site with an average depth of 0.3m increasing slightly within
the shallow coombe.

5.2.3

Subsoil was only noted within the central coombe and comprised of
colluvial pale yellow brown silty clay with minimal coarse components.
Where present this context extended to a maximum of 0.5m depth,
concentrated in the southern section of the coombe. Following removal
of this layer the coombe was shown to extend much further across Site
than was evident before stripping, occupying most of the north-south
extent from the northern boundary. It possible that this area was
levelled with material removed from earlier quarry working, thus
masking the extent of the coombe.

5.2.4

The natural overburden, sealing the limestone mineral, consisted of


mixed lenses of stone, sand and clay as expected (see above 1.2.3).
The limestone was largely tabular (<0.2m) with some rounded blocks
occurring in outcrops (<0.4m). The majority of the stone was held within
a matrix of pale brown silty clay but along the slopes of the coombe a
fine to medium sand (ranging from white to mid red brown in colour)
predominated.

5.3

Archaeological features

5.3.1

No archaeological features or discrete deposits were exposed during


the watching brief.

FINDS

6.1.1

No artefacts were recovered from the top- or sub-soils inspected during


the watching brief.

ENVIRONMENTAL

7.1.1

No significant environmental remains were identified on the Site.

CONCLUSION

8.1.1

No archaeological features were noted in either the top- or sub-soil


strips, and no residual material was recovered from these contexts.

8.1.2

This confirms the results of the 1995 evaluation and the 1996 watching
brief which suggested a low level of archaeological activity in the

southern portion of the Site which could not be proved to extend to the
north.
8.1.3

Consistent with the two previous phases of work, no residual material


was present in the top- or sub-soils, despite the range of features and
find spots summarised above (see 2.3). The Site is well placed within a
prehistoric landscape and would be expected to produce some
evidence of archaeological activity. It is possible that as the Site is
relatively low lying in comparison to the surrounding area, in particular
along the course of the coombe which dominates the Site, it suffered
from poor drainage and was not deemed suitable for habitation or
intense agriculture.

ARCHIVE

9.1.1

Following completion of all archaeological works the Site archive will be


prepared to the relevant standards set out in Appendix 3 of English
Heritage (1991) Management of Archaeological Projects. In due course
the archive will be deposited with the Dorset County Museum.

10

REFERENCES

Calkin J.B. 1949, The Isle of Purbeck in the Iron Age, Proc. Dorset Nat. Hist.
Archaeol. Soc 70 (1948), 30-2
Calkin J.B. 1953, Iron Age Finds at Sheepsleights, Worth Matravers, Proc.
Dorset Nat. Hist. Archaeol. Soc 74 (1952), 50-1
Calkin J.B. 1966, A Grain Pit at Sheepsleights, Worth Matravers, Proc.
Dorset Nat. Hist. Archaeol. Soc 88 (1966), 149-51
Calkin J.B. 1968, A Beaker form Sheepsleights, Worth Matravers, Proc.
Dorset Nat. Hist. Archaeol. Soc 89 (1967), 139-40
Cox P.W. 1987, Archaeological observations near Worth Matravers, Proc.
Dorset Nat. Hist. Archaeol. Soc 108 (1986), 174
Farrar R.A.H. 1970, Some Recent Archaeological Discoveries in Dorset
Worth Matravers, Sheepsleights, Swanworth Quarries, Proc. Dorset Nat. Hist.
Archaeol. Soc 70 (1948), 30-2
Wessex Archaeology, 1995, Swanworth Quarry,
Archaeological Evaluation 1995. Ref 37178.04

Purbeck,

Dorset.

APPENDIX 1: Trench Summary Table


Trench
No. 1
Context
101

102

103

Description
Topsoil Dark grey brown silty clay loam with 3%
sub-angular/sub-rounded tabular limestone (<0.1m).
Subsoil Colluvial mid brown silty clay with 1% subangular/sub-rounded tabular limestone (<0.05m).
Only present in shallow coombe running north-south
through the centre of site.
Overburden Very mixed deposits of tabular
limestone (<0.2m), fine to medium sand ranging from
white to pale red brown, and pale yellow brown silty
clay.

Depth (m)
0.00-0.30

0.30-0.80

0.30+

WESSEX ARCHAEOLOGY LIMITED.


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